Energy	Culture choc...	Fun	Nostalgia	Weather here
Medium	Every minute of Every day.../td>	Oh yes!	Inevitable...	HOT and humid!

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J+9 Chinese work experience & school...

My host sister had totally forgotten she had to do a work experience during the summer holiday so I suggested we could both wake up very early and work! She was delighted;
To be honest I thought I would be a total disaster for the family business, but it turned out to be fairly successful!
We sold a lot of milk tea, coffee and milkshakes! Ok I did not make them (to complicated) but the Chinese people were very curious to understand what on earth I was doing!
They speak very fast, it's still difficult for me to follow. Most of the time, I just smile and try to pick up one or two words/sentence...
Every morning, I learn how to write 10 new words, my sister explains the history and the meaning of each character, it helps a lot!
At the moment, I know the name of almost everything I'm eating, I also know basic verbs (walk, talk, wash, say, see, sing, dance, go, come, be, have, like, know...) and nouns of daily objects I use.
The hardest things to remember for me are the names! Not only was I not particularly good at it in France, here, it's really hard.

Today was also my first day at school (official day), I met my classmates, and there was a big opening ceremony.
Because of my beginner status in mandarin, they have placed me in 10th grade, so I'm one year older than my classmates....and 40cm higher! (joking, some boys are fairly tall)
I wore a school uniform for the first time in my life. I must admit I was expecting a shirt, with a little skirt and high socks... No no no.
My chinese high school uniform is:
-to big for me (they had to give me XXL trousers, since they have never coped with a girl my hight)
-like a hiking outfit, it's hard to distinguish girls from boys!

One of the most marking experiences today was the high school toilets.
Ok: no door, no seat, just a small wall (about a meter high)
As soon as I stepped in the room, I told myself: you have to do it, if they can, so can you! But my head sticked out and apparently it seemed to be the appropriate time and situation (to their mind) to come and say "Hello! How are you?..."
I couldn't believe it. I will take pictures of the toilet I promise, believe me, it's worth it.

We then had some physical exercise outside, every class stands in a very fine row, (since I am the tallest girl I stand at the front). We stood in the sun for 7minutes, and went back in, to start again; interesting.
Finally, the big opening ceremony began. All the students from all the different grades were in lines, listening to the director's and teacher's speech.
I was then invited to the stage, to introduce myself. "make it a show" they told me.
I talked about myself, told them I would be delighted to speak with them and they could teach me some Chinese. I taught them some French, made them repeat "bonjour"!
I will post some official images as soon as they are available on the high school website. (if I'm not mistaken, there is a possibility a video of the ceremony shall be diffused on television)
School day was over. I received a lot of very personal handmade presents, sweets, compliments and invitations! I was begged to make a QQ number...
My week is already booked, my new friends invite me to their family, for dinner, traditional events...

I am touched by their warm smiles and gifts, the efforts they make to communicate with me!
I will get to know them better in a year, I'm very exited about it.
The teachers so far have been very helpful, and patient.
I already have homework ...

I am looking forward to my day off tomorrow; I shall have my first (and certainly not last) KTV experience !
(karaoke club) I'm going with my sister and two friends.

J+8 My first impression of Chinese school...

Today was my first "day" in school. We arrived around 1pm and left at 4:30.
My host sister kept warning me: "don't take a handbag, you won't have any space for your books!"
Secretly I thought "she has no idea what I am capable of carrying in a handbag..." but I finally listened to her, and took a bag pack. THANK GOD.
I have 36 books; yes 36. All in Chinese, and 20 note books. I had to leave half of it at school because I came by bicycle.
I was warmly welcomed by my main teacher, who showed me around the school and I chatted with a group of young people; we got on pretty well...they introduced themselves after 30minutes and I discovered they were all teachers!
A lot of students came to talk to me while I was waiting, sitting in an office. They were inviting me to their home, saying they could make arrangements to get their homework out of the way and show me around Nanjing, and that their grandmother would be delighted to cook for me... They all left me their number and name, my phone has been buzzing all night long! I receive adorable texts such as "Welkom to Nanjing, Welkom to china" "you already have many friends" "call me at anytime if you need something"...
I have to say the difference between the Chinese and the French way of welcoming and taking care of a foreigner is frightening!
The student representative also came to see me, she speaks an excellent English and will assist me for the speech I am suppose to give tomorrow in front of 2000 people.. (stage, microphone, television? I don't know)


My family took me to Confucius Temple, in the evening.
Where shall I start?
We had dinner in an extremely chic restaurant, invited by one of my father's many close friends. Every guest received small dishes, and the waitress explained the traditional meaning of each dish. We were entertained by some musicians. I had the feeling the food was very expensive, but my estimation was no where near the total price of this dinner . Chinese people are very proud, when they invite to present the most expensive dishes; regardless their taste! I was encouraged to finish a pile of lobster, thousand year old egg, risotto dimpling, and a lot of Chinese delicatesse...
At the end of the meal, the bill is brought in and handed to the host, everyone is very curious to know how much the dinner they just ate is worth. This one was 12000¥ RNB, about 1500€. I almost chocked when I heard the price; my sister said "my fathers friend wants to show you the very best" . My host father, later in the evening, pointed out "it's normal you're not feeling well, you just ate 3 iPhones!"

The host offered me a hand made silk scarf and leaded us to a VIP boat for a 50minutes trip around the area. It was so beautiful if made me totally speechless.

J+7 Special day

Today was very special, after a big breakfast and 3hours of self-inflicted homework; we headed for Tang family's restaurant. The place was saturated! And it's only today I realized I only knew about 1/10th of the restaurant! When the front room is too full, people book into small individual rooms, with more privacy. My host father owns a huge infrastructure !
We had "egg dumplings"- different flavors appeared at every bite I took: ginger, coriander, spring onion, delicious and very lean pork, and the egg of course!
My family decided to take me to the country side so I could meet my mothers parents. On the way back, we got stuck in a massive traffic jam: Nanjing is going to host the teenager Olympics games in 2014 so they we digging up new underground lines, on the side of the small and very busy road...
Policemen kept yelling "don't move don't move" and my smoked window allowed me to take pictures without getting in trouble...
Tang papa announced we we late for dinner with his very important friend, in a 5 stars hotel... I was waring flip flips and wasn't dressed for the occasion!
It tourneys out to be the most interesting ceremony I have ever been to! We sat in a big and beautiful room, with luxurious food, wine, juice...
The manager of this big hotel was at the table, so was the deputy general manager, a famous economist and some directors of big hotels.
They were all extremely sociable, and gracefully offered me their business card: "if you need anything..." "I can offer you a very good life style..."
They all thought I looked like Diana!
During this meal, I have counted:
-we stood up 67 times, to toast (I didn't pick up the reason, but neither did my sister)! Chinese people love shouting, and razing their glass at every single occasion they get.
-Chinese men drink a LOT of white wine...
-they smoke a lot too!
(except from my father! I learned tonight by his friends that he has been smoking since he was a teenager, 3 months ago he told them I was coming to their family and announced he would stop smoking. He hasn't touched a cigarette since then.)

After 4hours of toasting, shouting, laughing, this loud group slowly started to head down to the reception. The manager gave us his card 3 times, they were all extremely cheerful...
I think I rarely ate as much in my life; I didn't feel good! (Beijing duck, shark soup, grilled fish, spicy garlic beef, tofu dumplings, mushrooms, noodles, coriander salty chicken fries... Watermelon... )
I told my sister I needed some exercise, we walked up the 19floors to the flat instead of taking the lift! As soon as we arrive home, Tang papa asks with a huge smile on his face: "I cook some dumplings for you!"
Oh my Gosh-

I must admit I am a little nervous, tomorrow is my first day at school, I have no idea what to expect!

J+6 Life in Nanjing city...

I am officially in love with Nanjing city...
It has just the right mix of everything! Not too many cars, I hardly feel the pollution, not too many motorcycles, a lot of bicycles, some great shops, some HUGE luxurious (and air conditioned) shopping malls, thousands of restaurants, food markets, a GIGANTESQUE library, very big supermarkets, a beautiful lake, a lot of trees, small and interesting back streets, a wonderful underground system...
I could continue for a long time! It's cosmopolitan, but still very authentic!
And I am blessed: my chinese family owns a flat as downtown as you can possibly get!
Not only do they live downtown, they also have a very good restaurant...
I eat there everyday.
The first cultural change that hits you when you are a foreigner here is the food:
It is extremely tasty. The meal starts, and a lot of different dishes are brought to the table, they keep coming for about an hour and you never know when it's going to end!
Chinese people are very generous with guests and show a lot of hospitality.
They keep filling my plate with vegetables, rice, fried and spicy chicken feet (yes, they eat them), pork belly, tofu, spicy potato, Beijing duck, dumplings, soup, grilled fish, coriander stir fry, ginger sauce....
There are implicit rules I discover every day, such as :
- you can not touch your chopsticks if the person providing the food has not started
- you must not hold your glass if you are not drinking, it's rude.
- you must not say "thank you" every time you are offered something, it makes them uncomfortable.

Here, we have a different breakfast every single day. So far, I have tried spicy beef noodles with corn, rice "purée" with fish and vinegar cucumber with egg...

My host parents are trying their best to make me taste everything.

We walked around the city today, and they bought me a bicycle so that I can cycle to school. It was very difficult finding one my size, it seemed to amuse all the salespeople in Carrefour.

J+4 almost there

After a LONG night in the express train, lying down with 50cm above my head, without changing cloves, we are slowly arriving in Nanjing.
I confess: I've been fantasizing about a good continental breakfast all night long, but was woken up by a very strong smell of mushroom, tofu and meat noodles... I've officially lost hope for a coffee!
But this is the Chinese way, so I'll get used to it. My conception of what is normal and what isn't has already started to change, it's just a beginning!
I was woken up this night by Chinese women shouting, I thought "what on earth is wrong with them?!" but in fact, I've noticed a lot of Chinese people shout, it's just their way of making sure they've been heard, because they are used to huge noisy and crowded places!

J+3 On my way to Nanjing!

After these wonderful days in Beijing, I am on my way to Nanjing!
The "express train" we are traveling on is jam packed, we like to do it the Chinese way...
The journey is about 9 hours, overnight.
I am slightly stressed and very exited about the arrival, I think my host family will pick me up at the station but no one hear has been able to confirm it to me! I have never felt as ready as today, it helped a lot meeting people who share the same dream, passion and interest about China!
I am working on my Chinese as hard as I can, and practice it at every single occasion I get.
Chinese people (it is well known) love to sing, and karaoke, it is their main way of socializing...when they are not working! But what their adore even more, is to listen to a foreigner signing a popular Chinese song, they go absolutely CRAZY, and if ever that song is the national anthem, well that foreigner is upgraded to a semi-god status!
I've decided to learn it myself, it's really something that brings everyone together here.

J+2 finally here!

I was finally able to find decent Internet connexion...
I had a wonderful and meditative flight.
Never, have 11 hours passed so fast.
I only have 7 minutes before an AFS volunteer to remind us the 22:30 deadline...
I climbed the Great Wall today, there is a Chinese saying that says: "He who has not been to the Great Wall is not a real man"
Oh we are all feeling REAL now! We walked about 3hours up and down unequal stair steps!
We are lucky to have wonderful food, the key is not to bother about what you are eating, just taste it... Then ask.
I have a night train tomorrow to Nanjing, and a meeting tomorrow after breakfast.
This is the longest I could handle in the current situation, a Chinese man is pointing me and saying:
"Miss, I strongly recommend you obey and go to your hotel room, now!"
I know what Chinese people mean by strongly, I better go, the smile won't work for long.